Special Picks for June

And now that at the proper time and place, after so long and wide a preliminary cruise, Ahab,—all other whaling waters swept—seemed to have chased his foe into an ocean-fold, to slay him the more securely there; now, that he found himself hard by the very latitude and longitude where his tormenting wound had been inflicted; now that a vessel had been spoken which on the very day preceding had actually encountered Moby Dick;—and now that all his successive meetings with various ships contrastingly concurred to show the demoniac indifference with which the white whale tore his hunters, whether sinning or sinned against; now it was that there lurked a something in the old man’s eyes, which it was hardly sufferable for feeble souls to see. As the unsetting polar star, which through the livelong, arctic, six months’ night sustains its piercing, steady, central gaze; so Ahab’s purpose now fixedly gleamed down upon the constant midnight of the gloomy crew. It domineered above them so, that all their bodings, doubts, misgivings, fears, were fain to hide beneath their souls, and not sprout forth a single spear or leaf.

No. 2—MUSIC: Slip into a Morning Phase.

Beck’s latest album will doubtless make up most of his set, but you can always keep your fingers crossed that the veteran songwriter will sneak in some gems from his impressive 20-year, 12-album back catalogue (“The New Pollution,” anyone?).

June 27. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. 1 Front St. E., 855-872-7669, sonycentre.ca.

No. 3—PETS: Adopt a cat.

Stop binging on adorable cat memes and adopt one of ’em, already. This weekend, Toronto Cat Rescue’s Adopt-a-thon makes it easier than ever.

June 28–29. PetSmart. 12 William Kitchen Rd., 416-335-7922, torontocatrescue.ca.

No. 4—PRIDE: Show your Pride

From the world’s biggest gay wedding to the hometown return of Peaches, we select the seven best ways to party at Pride.

No. 5—FILM/TV: Spend a little time with some friends of Dorothy.

Gay characters have come out of the celluloid closet and no longer exclusively exist to support straight leads. That doesn’t mean we don’t love all those flamboyant second bananas who paved the way. From stealth nellies to loud-and-proud queers, we salute the greatest onscreen GBFs.

No. 6—CANADA DAY: Baby, watch some fireworks.

Kick off our country’s birthday festivities a day early on “Canada Eve,” Harbourfront Centre’snew term for June 30. As long as there are fireworks (and don’t worry, there are), we’ll buy it.

If you take our advice on Grid pick No. 23, then all you need to do is stick around Centennial Park for a dazzling show—if you’re not in a food coma, that is.

Mel Lastman Square is the go-to spot for North Yorkers on any light show–worthy holiday. Kid-friendly circus, music, and dance performances precede the grand finale.

If none of the other options tickle your fancy, make the trek out to Ashbridges Bay and find a spot among the mob of beach-bound revellers to get your fill of explosions in the sky.

June 30 (Harbourfront); July 1 (everything else).